Side dumping loader



R E N R .A. w w S SIDE DUMPING LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1956 INVENTOR. STANLEY M WARNER R E N R A w Wm s SIDE DUMPING 'LOADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1956 m won mm w WY J28, S.W.WARNER 253239313 SIDE DUMPING LOADER Filed Aug. 2; 1955 3 Sheets-Shet 3 INVENTOR. STANLEY W. WAR/vii? United atent stun DUMPMG LOADER Stanley W. Warner, Wauwatosa, Wis., assignpr to Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, ill, a corporation of Cahfornia Application August 2, 1956, Serial No. 601,745

4 Ciairns. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to vehicle mounted loaders and more specifically to material handling buckets adapted selectively to dump material either forwardly or to one side of the vehicle.

It is a convenience when handling material with a front end loader mounted on a vehicle to be able either to dump directly forwardly of the vehicle or to one side of the vehicle. Much of the maneuvering of the vehicle is thus eliminated and positioning for dumping the material from the bucket is facilitated. This reduction in the time spent in positioning the vehicle for dumping also results in lower operating costs since more material may be handled in less time than is possible with conventional front dumping loaders.

In side dumping loaders, a locking mechanism must be provided to prevent side tipping of the bucket while loading, raising, carrying or forward dumping. In side dumping loaders presently available, the bucket locking mechanism is either operated independently of the tipping mechanism or does not provide a positive lock. In the first instance, a separate control must be actuated by the loader operator with a consequent loss of time and in the latter instance, the locking mechanism may fail and dump the bucket at an inopportune moment.

Likewise, in side dumping buckets provided with an end gate operable to open for side casting, the end gate is usually actuated by means of a positive connection between the side tipping mechanism and the end gate. When such a connection is provided, the bucket opens rapidly and positively and the falling material from a rapidly tipped bucket may cause a high impact loading on the end gate hinges and linkage.

It is an object of this invention to provide a positive locking means operable to retain a side dumping bucket in the loading, raising, carrying and forward dumping positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a side dumping bucket with a positive locking means which is automatically released for side casting by actuation of the side tipping mechanism.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a side dumping bucket with an end gate operating independently of the side tipping mechanism.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view in perspective showing the subject side dumping bucket in digging position as mounted upon a track type tractor. The bucket is illustrated in broken lines in its raised position,

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation showing the side dumping bucket in the horizontal position,

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation showing the bucket in the side dumping position,

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation showing the end gate construction,

Fig. 5 is a view in rear elevation showing a modification of the subject side dump bucket,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective with parts 2,821,313 Patented Jan. 28, 1958 gum.

broken away showing the bucket locking mechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a view like Fig. 6 illustrating a modification in structure.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a track type tractor of conventional design is generally indicated at 10. Forwardly extending lift arms 11 and tilt arms 12 are connected at their rear portions to an intermediate portion of the tractor and are adapted to he raised and lowered by actuation of hydraulic lift cylinders 13 and hydraulic tilt cylinders 14 through the conventional linkage shown which does not form a part of the present invention. A bucket supporting structure shown as a cradle 15 is pivotally secured transversely across the free ends of the forwardly extending lift and tilt arms by means of pivot pins 16 and 17. The cradle 15 acts as a supporting member for the material handling bucket 13 during the normal front dumping bucket operations and also serves as a supporting platform when the bucket is side dumped.

When operating as a front dumping loader, actuation of the tilt jacks 1'4 serves to dump the bucket forwardly in a conventional manner. However, as shown in Figs. 2 through 4, a hydraulic tipping cylinder 19 is provided to dump the bucket to one side of the tractor. The cylinder 19 is pivotally connected at its upper end to a pintle bracket 2% that projects rearwardly from the rear wall of the bucket 13. The lower end of the cylinder 19 is pivotally connected to a cradle 15 by a pin 21 (see Fig. 6) carried in elongated slots 22 formed in spaced brackets 23 secured to the cradle 15.

As shown in Fig. 6, upon initial actuation of cylinder 19, pin 21 shifts transversely in the slot 22. A push rod 24 fixed to the cylinder end of tipping cylinder 19 is thus urged into contact with a push plate 25. A latch pin 26 secured to push plate 25 is carried for sliding reciprocal movement in a boss 2'7 secured to the rear wall of the bucket 18 and is normally urged by a spring 29 into a latch pin hole 28 in a plate 23a which carries the brackets 23. However, upon actuation of cylinder 19, push rod 24 retracts the latch pin 26 from the hole 28 to unlock the free end of the bucket from the cradle 15. Further extension of the cylinder 19 raises the bucket to the side dumping position on pivot pins 3t? which are retained by extended bosses 31 secured to the cradle 15. When the bucket is returned from the side dumping position, by retraction of cylinder 19, the latch pin strikes a ramp 26a (see the dotted line position of latch pin 26 in Fig. 6) retracting the latch pin against the action of spring 29 until it is free to enter the latch pin hole 28 in order to retain the bucket in the locked position. Thus, not only does the locking means positively retain the bucket in normal front dumping operating positions, but it is automatically releasable and re-engageable for side dumping without the actuation of any separate control by the operator.

Fig. 7 shows a modified form of the structure illustrated in Fig. 6 wherein the cylinder 19, pin 21 and slot 22 function in the manner described. However, a difierent form of push rod is illustrated at 24a to bear against a latch pin 26b normally fitting in the latch pin hole 28 but shown in Fig. 7 as retracted by the push rod 24a against the force of a spring 2% contained in a housing carried in a bracket 27a. in this figure, as in Fig. 6, the latch pin 26b is shown in dotted lines as striking a ramp 260 during return of the bucket from the side dumping position.

As shown in Figs. 1 through 4, the side dumping bucket 18 is provided with an end gate 32 operable to open for side dumping by means of gravity and the weight of the material in the bucket at the time of side dumping. A gate closing mechanism which operates without any positive connection between the end gate and the side tipping mechanism is provided. The gate closing linkage comprises-a roller 33 carried by an adjustable link 34 and a link. 35vby means of a pin 36. The opposite end of adjustable link 34 is pivotally secured to the cradle 15 by pin 37 and the opposite end of the link 35 is pivotally securedtto: downwardly depending bracket 38a, by means of hinge pins 38'. The hinge pin.38 is substantially parallel with the bucket pivot pins 31) to prevent any depending parts from restricting the vertical clearance of the bucket during side dumping. A rail 39 having a ramp portion 40 is. secured tothe bottom of the bucket 13 and is nor-- mally in contact With roller 33.

Asthe tipping cylinder 19 is actuated and the locking mechanism is released, the end gate 32 is opened by force of: gravity: and the Weight of the material Within the bucket; Roller 33 rides along rail 39 until it strikes the ramp portion 40 at which time the end gate will be retained in: a. position. substantially parallel to. the bottom of the bucket: when the bucket is in the full side dumping position; By retaining the end gate in such a position, the end: gate serves as a chute to project a discharge point further from, the tractor and thus afford better dumping characteristics .into various types of truck bodies. As thetipping mechanism is retracted, roller 33 rides down from ramp 40onto the rail 39. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thisaction is transmitted to the end gate by means of link.35 and the end gate is thus closed and retained in the-closed position until the bucket is again tipped.

By providing a'free opening end gate, the end gate is free to yield to the Weight of the material in the bucket before damage is sustained by the end gate hinges and linkage. An additional advantage of the free opening end gateisthat in the event the end gate strikes an obstruction such as a truck body While side dumping, the end gate will cease to open and the bucket will move away from the roller 33 without causing damage to the gate linkage or truck. body.

Fig. Sshows a modification of the side dumping bucket in which the: end gate and its accompanying linkage has beenreplaced by a scoop end on the discharge end of the bucket. The, scoop end provides a bucket which may bev rapidly dumped to one side of the tractor and is particularly advantageous in operations requiring a strong bucket. The scoop end bucket eliminates the need for the end gate audits operating mechanism, but retains the automaticbucket latch mechanism.

I claim:

. 1'. A mounting and dumping mechanism for vehicle mounted loaders comprising a material handling bucket supported, by, a cradle, pivotal means securing one end of the bucket to the cradle on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, bucket tipping means pivotally attached to both the cradle and the bucket for dumping the bucket to one side of the vehicle, a lost motion connection securing said tipping means to the cradle, and a bucket locking means releasable to permit side dumping, said locking means, being actuated by initial movement of said tipping means.

2. In a side dumping bucket for vehicle mounted loaders, a bucket supporting cradle, pivotal means at one end of the bucket securing the bucket to the cradle on an axis parallel to. the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, bucket tipping means pivotally attached to both the cradle and the bucket for dumping the bucket to the side of the vehicle, a lost motion connection securing the tipping means to the cradle, and a bucket locking means retaining the bucketin; theload? receiving, load carrying, and for- Ward. dumping positions, said locking means being releasable for side dumping'by actuation of the tipping means.

3. In a side dumping bucket for vehicle mounted. loaders, a bucket supporting cradle, pivotal means securing one end of the bucket to the cradle on an axis parallel, tov the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, bucket tipping means pivotally-attached to the bucket, said tipping. means being pivotally secured; to the cradle by means of a lost motion connection, a: bucket locking mechanism releasable for side dumping, said bucket locking mechanism comprising a springrloaded locking pin releasable by initial actuatiouof said tipping means within said lost motion connection.

4. In a side dumping bucket for a vehicle mounted loader, a bucket supporting cradle, a hinged connection between. the bucket and cradle adjacent oneend of the bucket, bucket tipping means between the bucket and; cradle to tip the bucket about said hinged connection, means latching, the bucket against tipping, and means. actuated upon energization of the bucket tipping means, for releasing the latching means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

